


Haven

by orphan_account



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 13:52:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2775437
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Armin often explores. He shows his two best friends a beautiful place, a place where they can finally laugh together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Haven

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like this may be a little out-of-character, I’ve never tried to write Armin before this.

       “It’s so hot,” Eren observed for the fifth time that day. 

       It was early morning on a bright summer day. The Scouting Legion was presented with the gift of a whole day off, the leaders had decided at the break of dawn that the weather of nearly 100º heat with the combination of high humidity and a blazing sun were unworkable conditions. Some said it may also be due to the disastrous results of the last expedition and the Legion needed a day or two of rest, for their bodies and minds. Whichever it was, the soldiers took the day with little question and no hesitation to leave their barracks and roam freely.

       “It is just a little ways away, and trust me the walk is worth it,” Armin explained.

       “What’s this place you’re taking us to again?” Mikasa said when she took Armin’s outstretched hand to help her over a fallen tree, skirt held up in her other hand.

       “It’s a surprise, I’ve told you, but I know you guys will love it,” Armin replied with a smirk. Whenever Armin had the time, between training and assisting Hanji in the lab, he would try to quench his curious mind by secretly adventuring from the barracks and training grounds into the lands and forests that surrounded him. By exploring the dark forests, deep caves, miles by miles of vast meadows Armin would stumble upon secret treasures and hiding spots pushed away from sight and forgotten by humanity, some never even touched by a human hand till that blonde excited boy stepped foot into its wondrous domain.

       Birds flew and chirped above their heads and beyond the tree tops, rabbits and other woodland creatures scampered away from the advancing trio of best friends. As they neared the destination the woods began to transform, the ground got stepper with each step and walls of dirt and rock erected to their sides as if they were entering a small valley, the grass beneath their feet turned to wet moss and vines wrapped themselves around every standing structure.

       Mikasa admired in complete awe at the new environment transforming in front of her, from an old wood to a new, fresh world. She knelt down on her skirt, not caring for the dirt, to observe a dark blue blossoming flower that grew in a single ray of sunlight from the tree tops. It delighted her at the way it was illuminated by the light, the way its petals and stem moved with the slight breeze, it made her forget about the bloody lands beyond the walls and the hot grueling days of training. The beauty brought a rare smile to her cold features.

       “Pretty, isn’t it?” Armin chimed happily beside her, admiring, as well, the sight of his smiling friend and the blue flower that reminded him so much of her. “C’mon let’s keep going, we’re almost there.”

       Upon standing from the moment of peace, Mikasa continued to observe her surroundings and quickly noticed the absence of one friend.

       “Where’s Eren?” A question often asked and answered unpleasantly, slight worry could be heard in Mikasa’s voice, but Armin knew she had nothing to fear.

       “He probably already found the spring, this way!”

       “A spring?” Mikasa asked, though not expecting an answer as she knew Armin loved surprises.

       He took Mikasa by the hand once more and led her further down the unbeaten leafy incline until they arrived to a curtain of green vines. Armin let go of Mikasa’s hand and parted the curtain of greenery open for her enter, and with a smile he gestured to the other side. Mikasa passed the threshold with ease and amazement. Once having crossed, she was greeted with a glittering clear body of water. Moss covered where she stood and encompassed the water bank where it drop immediately once touched by water. Unknown flowery plants glided on the surface of the water, small aquatic animals swam and dove in the fresh oasis. Dragon flies and butterflies passed one another from flower to colorful flower, frogs croaked from their place on the bank, and turtles laid resting in the warm sunlight on a fallen trunk in the water. Vines weaved into the walls of small rock cliffs that surrounded this treasure, that kept it safe from outside forces. The vines reached toward the sky where they intertwined with roots of trees on the top of the cliffs. A canopy made dome that gave the spring a cool shade from above. A comfortable breeze blew through the trees and down into the spring.

       “Like in the story books,” Mikasa said quietly, as if she were trying not to disturb the beauty before her.

       Statured on the other side of the bank, grown from rays of sunshine that broke the canopy, sat an ancient sorrowful tree whose branches separated into thinner stems where pink flowers blossomed and grazed the water top. Shirtless under the old tree stood Eren giddy with excitement,

       “This is amazing, Armin!” he said pulling his shoes and socks off, then continued to his pants, “I’m getting in.” Eren leapt into the cool water in nothing but his underwear, leaving a pile of sweaty clothes on the shore.

        “I found this place a few weeks ago,” Armin said with a smile, “I wanted to keep it a secret for a day like today.” He approached the edge of the water, knelt down, tested it, then began to remove his heavier clothing. The amount of secret abodes Armin has come across while his time as a soldier was enough to fill three complete journals with all sorts of observations and detailed notes.

       “Are you getting in?” Eren asked Mikasa from the side of the water bank, his emerald eyes sparkled at her, “The water’s nice, really, and you look hot- I mean, like uncomfortable...” he trailed off with embarrassment. Mikasa laughed as he blew bubbles under the water.

       “Yeah, I’ll get in,” she said lightly from behind her red muffler. Without hesitation, in the heat of moment, with dire need to remover her restricting clothes, she pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the side. Next, she easily slipped her thick skirt from her hips, and slipped her shoes from her feet. Left in only her black undergarments, the young solider gracefully dived into the fresh water. It cooled her skin immediately and she smiled in return.

       “This is wonderful, we needed this,” She said, brimming in happiness, “Thank you, Armin.”

       Luxuries were rare in the scouting legion. They lived by strict schedules, tough leaders, hard training, and long sleepless nights. Haunted by the dead, by lost loved ones, and bloody battlefields no solider went a day without reliving a horrible memory. But today, in this moment, in this cool and beautiful spring, in this haven of life the three best friends truly smiled and relaxed themselves for the first time in years.

       “Next time you go adventuring, invite us won’t you,” Eren said splashing water Armin’s way.

       Armin laughed and replied with a smile, looking upon his best friend with the utmost adoration,

       “I would never leave without you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
